As the college basketball season wraps up, it's the perfect time to take a holistic look at athletic department performance across the major sports. This past cycle delivered some stunning highs and shocking lows, particularly for a few powerhouse programs. The biggest surprise? Two schools that once battled for a national football championship—Auburn and Florida State—now find themselves in an unwanted club for 2026.
An exclusive and dubious distinction has been earned by five Power Four schools: failing to reach a football bowl game and missing both the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments. That list includes Auburn, Florida State, Rutgers, Boston College, and Stanford.
For some, this struggle isn't shocking. Rutgers and Boston College have faced recent challenges. Stanford's absence from the women's tournament is notable given their dynasty, but with the retirement of legendary coach Tara VanDerveer, a transition period was expected.
The real stunners are Auburn and Florida State. These are programs built on championship pedigrees, making their collective downturn across football and basketball hard to comprehend.
Consider Florida State's trajectory. Just a few seasons removed from a 13-0 regular season, the Seminoles' football program—a national champion in 2013 under Jimbo Fisher and a perennial force for decades—has now missed multiple bowl games under Mike Norvell. This stark decline raises serious questions about the program's immediate future, despite Norvell's recent success.
The struggles extend to the hardwood. The men's team, an Elite Eight squad in 2018 and a Sweet 16 team in 2021, has fallen off sharply. The women's program, a consistent tournament participant, also faltered. For a department with such rich history, this across-the-board collapse is jarring.
Auburn's story is similarly dramatic. The Tigers' football program, which played for a national title a decade ago, has struggled to find consistency. Meanwhile, the men's basketball team, which made a thrilling Final Four run in 2019 and has been a March Madness staple under Bruce Pearl, failed to dance this year. When both revenue sports stumble simultaneously at a school known for passionate fan support, it marks a significant low point.
This analysis serves as a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in college sports. For fans of these historic programs, it's a call for patience and resilience. True competitors know that rebuilding a champion's mindset—on the field, the court, and in the stands—is the first step back to the top.